Cited by 191Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorInfant Health and DevelopmentHumor Studies and Applications

No Laughing Matter: Intranasal Oxytocin Administration Changes Functional Brain Connectivity during Exposure to Infant Laughter

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Riem, Madelon M E, van IJzendoorn, Marinus H, Tops, Mattie, Boksem, Maarten A S, Rombouts, Serge A R B, Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J·2012·Neuropsychopharmacology

Abstract

Infant laughter is a rewarding experience. It activates neural reward circuits and promotes parental proximity and care, thus facilitating parent-infant attachment. The neuropeptide oxytocin might enhance the incentive salience of infant laughter by modulating neural circuits related to the perception of infant cues. In a randomized controlled trial with functional magnetic resonance imaging we investigated the influence of intranasally administered oxytocin on functional brain connectivity in response to infant laughter. Blood oxygenation level-dependent responses to infant laughter were measured in 22 nulliparous women who were administered oxytocin and 20 nulliparous women who were administered a placebo. Elevated oxytocin levels reduced activation in the amygdala during infant laughter and enhanced functional connectivity between the amygdala and the orbitofrontal cortex, the anterior cingulate, the hippocampus, the precuneus, the supramarginal gyri, and the middle temporal gyrus. Increased functional connectivity between the amygdala and regions involved in emotion regulation may reduce negative emotional arousal while enhancing the incentive salience of the infant laughter.

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Crossref · 10.1038/npp.2011.313

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  • Other studies have reported that oxytocin effects on amygdala responses often occur with concurrent changes in its connections with, and activation of, the insula.

    “Indeed, other studies have also reported that OXT effects on amygdala responses often occur with concurrent changes in its connections with, and activation of, the insula (27 -29).”

    From Oxytocin, the peptide that bonds the sexes also divides them (2016) · cites this paper as [29]

  • Only a few studies have examined the effects of OXT on functional connectivity in humans.

    “To date, only a few studies have examined the effects of OXT on functional connectivity in humans (Dodhia et al, 2014;Domes et al, 2007;Riem et al, 2012;Sripada et al, 2013).”
  • OFC activation may reflect an augmented salience of social contact.

    “It thus appears that OFC activation may reflect an augmented salience of social contact”
  • While hearing infant's laughter, IN-OT reduces activation of amygdala and enhances functional connectivity between amygdala and OFC, ACC, hippocampus, and precuneus.

    “While hearing infant’s laughter, IN-OT reduces the activation of the amygdala and enhances the functional connectivity between the amygdala and the OFC, ACC, hippocampus, and precuneus (Riem et al. 2012).”

    From A precision medicine approach to oxytocin trials (2017) · cites this paper as Riem et al. 2012

  • Connectivity within this neural network can be enhanced by intranasal oxytocin.

    “Consistent with other studies (Bos et al., 2012) a previous study showed that connectivity within this neural network can be enhanced by intranasal oxytocin (Riem et al., 2012), which in turn facilitates the integration of emotion and cognition and the evaluation of emotional signals (Pessoa, 2008).”

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Authors
Riem, M. M. E., van IJzendoorn, M. H., Tops, M., Boksem, M. A. S., Rombouts, S. A. R. B., & Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J.
Affiliations
  • Leiden University (NL)
  • Radboud University Nijmegen (NL)
Venue
Neuropsychopharmacology
Published
2011-12-21
Volume
37
Issue
5
Pages
1257-1266
ISSN
  • 0893-133X (ISSN-L)
  • 1740-634X
OpenAlex
W2124725885
Cited by
191
References
87
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 12
FWCI
20.08
Type
journal article
Language
en
Update notices
erratum (2012-07-16)
Open access
Locations
  • Neuropsychopharmacology (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • EUR Research Repository (Erasmus University Rotterdam) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • VU Research Portal (publishedVersion)
  • EUR Research Repository (Erasmus University Rotterdam) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
  • Leiden Repository (Leiden University) (submittedVersion)
  • Digital Academic REpository of VU University Amsterdam (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) (submittedVersion)
  • Radboud Repository (Radboud University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Infant Health and Development
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Humor Studies and Applications
Keywords
oxytocin, infant laughter, brain functional connectivity, amygdala, reward processing, incentive salience, parent-infant attachment, emotion regulation, nulliparous women, intranasal administration
MeSH terms
Acoustic Stimulation, Administration, Intranasal, Adult, Brain, Brain Mapping, Double-Blind Method, Female, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Infant, Laughter, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Middle Aged, Oxygen, Oxytocics, Oxytocin, Reward, Twin Studies as Topic, Young Adult

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